Beyond Compare
by Tsukispace
Summary: In Tsume's small pack of human thieves a wolfdog exists but she doesn't know of her wolf blood,having lost her memory nearly a year ago her human illusion has been up every since...but what happens when it breaks?...(chapters 2,3,& 4 added)
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

**Beyond Compare**

**Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End**

_Pages unfold slowly for those who are in the book of the moon._

_The legendary journey that wolves take upon themselves under the illusion of being human._

_But like many this is a story inside a story…._

_Not one of love and valor….._

_Nor one of hatred and betrayal…._

_But a story of life and death….._

_Of a single half wolf girl….._

_Without a past……Or a future_

Crimson…that was the color she had always heard blood as being, sticky red stuff that dried and caked upon ones delicate features. Only emerging from the gallant and brave who dared to stand up to insurmountable odds, often to save a damsel, or prove ones self worth. But often it was forgotten that the common man bled as well, fighting against the trials and dangers to become what they believe to be their destiny….. But what if you had no destiny to achieve…..if there was no one like you…..if you didn't even know who or what for that matter you were…..

Hicaru sighed quietly as she held her bloodied hand…..the blood flowed through her fingers like small streams of pen ink, globing and thickening on the all to long sleeve of her shirt. Thieves weren't thought of very nicely in this town….not that she didn't understand why….this was a poor town and you had to fight for what little you got….it wouldn't take long her hand to heal anyway, sometimes it would only take her a few hours to recover from a fairly bad gash. Even so she would try to avoid this shop from now on….the butcher here didn't hesitate to use his knife wielding skills on a conniving thief. She wasn't a lone thief though, many of the missions she carried out were with a group of humans, their leader a tall dark skinned man with short white hair and golden eyes…..he didn't talk much but wasn't afraid to bark orders at his followers…..but most of them being the cowards they were never questioned him…..and Hicaru never disputed his orders either, without his leadership it was likely that they all would have been killed or starved to death by now. Even so you could tell that he didn't really care about the band of thieves….and if he did he was an excellent actor. A series of whistles erupted overhead alerting the group that it was time for a meeting…..

"**_Great….I bet they'll punish me for not getting the food…." _**

Hicaru thought to herself, as usual she was in a rather melancholy mood today and not really in the mood for the men's rude comments. But as usual she would probably just stay silent and take it…that was what she had come to think the best way to stay out of trouble. She quickly ripped part of the sleeve from her shirt and wrapped it tightly around her wounded hand in hopes of stopping the bleeding. She hesitated for a second but then took off in a run to the meeting grounds, next to the large tree right on the edge of town……

She was sweating as she walked the small distance remaining to the meeting place, she could already hear Tsume's low voice angrily addressing the small group. They had failed in their last mission and he seemed pretty ticked at them…..she had really picked a great day to fail at getting the food, she had never really spoken to Tsume but she guessed that today she was going to get more than a few harsh words. Hicaru stayed at the back of the group, hidden behind the much larger men as usual.

"**Now who was supposed to get the food today?" **

Tsume's voice thundered, Hicaru took a step back thinking twice about coming to the meeting today. A thrashing wasn't exactly very high on her list at the moment…..not that she didn't deserve it….it was because of her that the everyone would be hungry today. She silently turned to leave when she felt someone grab her arm and twirl her around forcing her to the front of the group…nearly stumbling into Tsume. She had seen the lashings Tsume had dealt out before and was numb with fear as she thought of her own, her breath caught in her throat but she managed to croak that she wasn't able to get it.

"**AND WHY THE HELL NOT!"**

"**Um…well…the butcher….he-"**

"**He what !"**

"**He stabbed me….." **she mumbled.

"**That's what I get for letting a little half breed like you into the pack…" **

"**Half-breed?" **

She could see his forehead crease as his anger seemed to grow to a high again, but as he opened his mouth to speak one of the thieves piped in. Yelling something about a giant white dog. She heard one-man whisper about eating it and could feel her own stomach already disagreeing with the thought.

"**Why don't you try touching it?"**

She heard Tsume say an obvious smirk on his dark face, for some reason she felt this _'dog' _was more than it had been claimed to be…….


	2. Chapter 2: First Encounters

Chapter 2: First encounters

Hicaru was held captivated by a certain curiosity about the large creature for a few moments but as a realization that this was her chance to escape a beating set in she quickly turned on her heel to leave. Even as she moved she could hear the scream of one of her comrades….even if she didn't like them she was loyal to them and so she turned around. The large dog leapt from its resting place beneath the large tree to bound after a retreating Tsume.

"_Tsume_….._running?"_

Something about this didn't settle quite right with her, It wasn't really her nature to get mixed up in other's affairs but Tsume could be in trouble….and anyway if she helped him out maybe she could atone for her screw up this morning. She sprinted after the two, having quite a bit of trouble keeping up until they came to an abrupt stop. She knelt behind a large rock waiting to see if Tsume would need her help or not.

She listened to the two argue…..wait…she understood the dog, or from what the two were saying she understood the wolf. But Tsume wasn't a wolf…was he? And anyway they were supposed to be extinct….without warning Tsume dropped his human façade resorting back to his normal appearance a large mousy gray wolf……without the human illusion. She was to shocked to react as the two engaged in a fight, her mind reeling with all to many questions…But she did know one thing….that she better get out of there before they saw her.

She broke into an all out run; even though her legs already felt like jelly and her chest was heaving she pushed on. She had only made it a few feet when she felt something impact her hip, twisting her around to face her aggressor who's next move pinned her to the ground. She cried out in shock but her air was cut of as the immense weight of the white wolf atop her kept her from taking in anymore air. She struggled as best she could until she felt the warm breath from the white wolf's open mouth touch the tender skin of her throat. Hicaru's eyes slowly began to close as the need for air assaulted her lungs, the wolf slowly backed off of her his fangs still bared. His lips didn't move but she could hear him speak…

"**Half-breed…"**

She gasp for air, trying desperately to rid herself of the terrible pain in her chest. After a few deep breaths it started to subside and she rolled over on to her stomach then picked herself up to face the wolf….the wolf who had like the other called her a half-breed. Keeping a distance from him she began to speak slowly wondering if he could understand her to….but why wouldn't he be able to…Tsume did.

"**Half-breed?"**

She inquired trying to keep up a brave front….she felt like a giant noodle, and wasn't to sure just how long her legs would hold up. She had nearly fainted from lack of oxygen after all…Hicaru stiffened as she noticed the large animals head tilt ever so slightly to the side and an inquisitive look came to his chilling blue eyes.

"Your only half wolf…..and half dog apparently" 

He said tonelessly, she could already see his wolf lips twitching slightly revealing rows of ivory teeth. He snarled,

"You don't have any pride as a wolf either do you" 

He said referring to the gray wolf he had a confrontation with only moments ago, both these wolves…these proud creatures had in his mind degraded themselves by putting up this façade just to live with these humans.

"Ok….I think you have a few screws lose because I'm no wolf or as you so aptly dubbed it a half-breed, I'm a human if you haven't noticed"

Her voice had a sarcastic tone to it that she wasn't able to override, despite her attempts at being submissive and getting out of here alive her own nature wouldn't allow it. She wasn't a wolf! Tsume had always been rather secretive and now she knew at least part of the reason, but up until recently he had never bothered to give her a second glace…and suddenly today he went to the extent of calling her a half-breed, just like this wolf. Was it possible that this was all just some elaborate scheme? But it couldn't be…. neither of these wolves even knew her to want to trick her…did they?

Her thoughts were cut short as she noticed his growl growing in volume…to an almost deafening point.

"HOW DARE YOU DENY YOUR HERITAGE AS A WOLF!"

He snarled and before she could reply she was once again tackled to the ground, but this time she managed to get an arm up in front of her face. She felt the immense pain of his jaws clamping onto her arms and desperately tried to beat at his head with her injured hand….it didn't even faze him.

"….I've finally found you….YOU MESSENGER OF DEATH!"

Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard an older man yell, the sound of a firecracker,….then she was buried in an infinite wasteland of white…..


	3. Chapter 3: Escape

Chapter 3: Escape…

"**I never seen someone captured like you before…."**

Hicaru awoke to a pair of unfamiliar voices sitting up slowly still cradling her injured arm.

'_Where am I?'_

Her gaze shifted to the conversing pair across the room, both appeared to be wolves…..and one was gnawing on the bars….but she was surprised to see that the bars were actually bending. It didn't take him long until he could easily fit through before raising the illusion. Wait….that was the white wolf from before…..the one who had attacked her, he seemed so much calmer now….so much more docile….not at all like he was when Tsume and herself had confronted him.

The brown wolfs nose lifted to the air before he turned to look directly at her, she muffled a gasp and backed away to the back of her cage, her bony back pressed against the cold metal of the bars. Her shirt wasn't much protection from the cold…..just a navy blue tank top, and her khaki cargo pants were torn and ripped……at least her boots were holding out….which was a surprise since they were rather old. She closed her eyes ready for the attack…..if one had bent bars it was likely they all could. She slowly opened one eye as no blow came to see a boy sitting in front of her….apparently all these wolves could take on some sort of human form….no wait….then they wouldn't have clothes…it must be some sort of illusion. Her other eye opened as she blinked a few times, locking eyes with the male she tensed. Her gray eyes met his own and for a few brief moments she felt as if she knew him.

"**C-can you get me out of here?"**

She stammered unable to hide the fear in her voice. Why the heck had she asked him that? If she got out they might maul her or worse kill her…but still….those eyes were so trusting. He smiled and laughed nervously then replied that he couldn't bend the bars….Kiba could though. Kiba… that must be the white wolf…..or at the moment the rather attractive guy scowling at her. Without a word he made his way over to the bars, he only had to strain slightly to create a large enough gap in the bars to free her. Hicaru crawled between the bars…nearly getting stuck but managing to get out alright.

"…**..you said you weren't a wolf" **said Kiba flatly his startling blue eyes staring down the hallway as if ready to bolt any time.

"**Because I'm not"**

"**Yes you are"** the boy with the collar chided in still holding a smile, she already got the feeling that he was quite a ladies man….maybe because he hadn't stopped staring at her yet. Crossing her arms over what little of a chest she had uneasily she let out an exasperated sigh.

" **Why do you guys keep saying that? Can't you see I'm human?"**

"**Yes…but we see your true form as well….anyway we don't have time for this…..do you want to go to paradise?"** replied the white wolf already starting to take upon him a wise domineer. But she was also confused how someone could be at her throat one minute and at her aid the next….one more thing to boggle her mind in this all to eventful day.

"**Paradise? Well….I guess anywhere's better than this place"**

"**We don't have time for this guys, we gotta get outa here!"**

The next hour was just a blur, fleeing through the city they found a boy who called himself Toboe who was only a year or so younger than herself, from their introductions she picked up the names of her two comrades. Then they stumbled upon Tsume……Toboe seemed rather persistent in getting him to come along. Hicaru sulked at the back of the group as usual her gaze downcast hoping that Tsume wouldn't make any snide remarks about her. They only locked gazes once and she could see the obvious surprise in his golden eyes, a slight smirk came to his lips but before he had the chance to speak a chorus of bullets assaulted the group.

The wolves took off running across a series of large pipes, Hicaru hesitated….these people wouldn't shoot at her would they? She was rudely answered as hot led sank deep into her shoulder throwing her off her feet, she cried out in pain and tried to catch herself. But it was futile…pain soared through her arm and chest and blood came readily from the open wound. As her vision blurred her life began to flash by her eyes…..wait…HER LIFE!

She was used as a fighting dog…..she really was a wolf, they really weren't lying… she saw dirt rings and fight after fight with blood baths issued by her own being. She had killed so many innocent creature…and they weren't even fair fights….apparently she was half wolf. She was about to fall submissive to her own injuries when she felt something change in herself….like the air about her had changed. She cracked an eye open to see what appeared to be a ginger colored snout protruding from her slender face. Was this what they were talking about? She wondered dizzily. My true form….is this really it?

Sleep won the battle ripping her from her own world to a dark land where she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her…lifting her from her bloody bed of death and carrying her to safety...


	4. Chapter 4: Those strong arms that held m...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original Wolf's Rain characters or the anime Wolf's Rain or anything associated with the anime.

First I'd like to thank everyone that that reviewed my story, and secondly I need more people to start reviewing….after all what's the point in using my time to type this story and submit it if no one likes it? I need at least two or three more reviews if you guys want me to continue the story…sorry to be a pain (Oh and sorry if any of the characters are kinda ooc)

Chapter 4: Those strong arms that held me so tight…..

_Where am I…?_

Hicaru lay against a tree a few feet away from the other members of the group, Tsume had his legs crossed and was standing against a tree opposite of her, Kiba sat with his hands behind his head against yet another tree somewhat closer to her, and Toboe sat in the center trying to engage in a conversation with an obviously bored Hige. Everyone had the illusion of being up…probably just incase they happened to stumble upon a bunch of humans.

Hicaru blinked a few times weakly rubbing her forehead with her bandaged hand, attempting to sit up she let her injured arm lay in her lap pushing herself up to a sitting position with her one good arm then leaning back against the cool yet rough bark of the tree she had found herself under. She cringed as pang of pain shot from her collarbone to her wrist. Clutching her arm she glanced around at the group the memories of what had happened already setting in….along with the fact that she really was a wolf…or at least part wolf. Even so it appeared she was in her human form right now…but….after she was shot….everything that had happened…was it possible that it had all just been a delusion from all the pain? No…those memories were to painful to be imagined. But…it was still hard to accept her wolf lineage….and what about the rest of her memories?

Sighing quietly in attempt to gather her nerves she glances around the group again….one of them had saved her…she wasn't sure who but it had to be Hige, Tsume, or Kiba…Toboe was about her size and couldn't have carried her with such ease.

"Hi….so your finally awake. You got hurt pretty bad back there" 

A sudden perky voice burst through her thoughts, startling her so much that she could feel her muscles jerk and she couldn't help but whimper as another pain shot through her shoulder. She grasp her shoulder and doubled over as the pain increased unable to keep her eyes from watering.

"**Are you ok?"**

Toboe asked kneeling down before her, a worried tone in his young voice. She looked up at him wishing inwardly that she could cut off the water works….but she had been shot…didn't that entitle her to cry at least a little? Her gray eyes shifted away from his own innocent ones….she had killed pups like him….so you and naïve, oblivious to the dangers in the world. Sure they had been dog….but dogs were only the evolved form of wolves. Mind you there was still a large difference.

"**I'll be fine…"**

She said quietly trying to keep her pain from showing in her voice. He continued to talk about how he was glad she had decided to come, where they were going, and about a whole bunch of things she didn't catch. The entire time Hicaru kept her face turned away from him as if hoping he would get the hint to leave….nope.

"**Don't you take a hint?"**

She said coldly, looking over at him she immediately wished she had kept quiet…..he hadn't meant any harm….just being friendly. And she could see it in his eyes that he was trying to hide the fact that she had hurt his feelings. He turned and stood as if ready to leave.

"**Wait….I was rude, really you can sit"**

He forced a smile and shook his head slightly.

"**You need you rest, we'll talk later ok?"**

Without waiting for an answer he retreated to go sit near Tsume taking upon a certain silence that definitely didn't suit his lively nature.

_Great…these guys save my but and I offend the nice one…but do I really owe them anything anyway since I wouldn't have gotten shot if it wasn't for them? But on the other hand they didn't force me to come…I came willingly. I can already see that that was a mistake…_

As night fell the pack hadn't moved much, merely to more comfortable positions to sleep, no one other than Toboe had really bothered to question Hicaru's health. Hige complained about being hungry a few times and Toboe admitted that his own stomach was growling as well, Tsume had told them to toughen up. Tsume and Hige both had smart mouths and neither liked being told to shut it so an argument between them arose, Kiba reasoned that they should save their energy for the journey and with a few mumbled remarks from Tsume the argument ended. By now sleep had claimed the two youngest members of the pack and Kiba and Hige were well on their way to dreamland as well. Only Tsume stayed awake…supposedly standing watch, but he eventually fell asleep to.

…………………………………………………………………………

_Morning…_

"**C'mon everyone we better get moving"**

_What a wake up call…_

Hicaru yawned as she pulled herself up by keeping her good hand against the tree for balance. She made an odd face as her stomach growled and tried to laugh quietly to show that it was no big deal. But no avail Kiba decided that they should eat as soon as possible, they were in some sort of wasteland right now and their wasn't much game. But at the next town they would have to stop and eat. She sighed frustrated wondering why he was making such a big deal out of it but didn't say anything…she was hungry after all.

"**So….do you think you're a wolf now?" **Kiba questioned.

She shook her head slightly **" I should have listened…you guys were right"**

"**But how couldn't you have known you were a wolf?"**

"…**I lost my memory recently…and well I guess I hadn't reverted back to my wolf form since then…but that bullet sure did the trick…"**

He nodded slightly dropping the subject and began to walk, Tsume and Toboe followed. Hige stayed behind watching Hicaru's weak attempt to walk with a worried expression.

" **I'm hurt not dead, I can walk" **she said sarcasticly, obviesly nor in the mood for any of his lines. She had only been around these wolves for a short time but she already had him picked out as being the ladies man….the type of guy she had little patience for.

He shrugged **"Just trying to help you out" **He crossed his arms behind his head and began to walk Hicaru following slowly behind.

But the question that still lingered in her mind was which of them had saved her?...she would just have to wait and find out.

(( R&R please ))


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